‘Sliding doors’: Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says he is Australia’s last chance for salvation

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is set to kick off his election campaign by telling Australians he is their last chance to save the nation.

Peter Dutton will warn that this year’s election is the “last chance” to save Australia, at a rally at which he will kick off his election campaign.

Focusing on the theme of a “sliding doors” election, Mr Dutton will warn Australians the result of this year’s poll will determine the fate of the country for years to come.

In the speech Mr Dutton will lay out the priorities he will focus on if he is elected later this year, with cost-of-living pressures and a stronger economy at the top of the list.

“A returned Labor government – in majority or minority – will see setbacks set in stone,” Mr Dutton will tell his audience in Melbourne.

The last three years have been “a litany of bad decisions and broken promises” as a result of which Australians are worse off and the country is less safe.

Electing a Coalition government is “a last chance to reverse the decline”.

“For so many Australians, aspiration has been replaced by anxiety. Optimism has turned to pessimism and national confidence changed to dispiritedness,” he will say.

In the speech, Mr Dutton will lay out the priorities he will focus on if he is elected later this year. Picture: Supplied

Sunday’s launch in Glen Waverley, Victoria, will kick off Mr Dutton’s bid to lead the country as polling shows the Coalition has the best chance of picking up a swag of seats in that state since Andrew Peacock won nine from Bob Hawke in 1990.

Mr Dutton is also seeking to turn one of Mr Albanese’s favourite lines: “That this election is about the future versus the past” against the PM.

“I think the past three years are a good indication of what the future will look like under a returned Labor government,” he will say.

“That’s a future Australians can’t afford.”

Mr Dutton will warn this year’s election is the ‘last chance’ to save Australia. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

The decision to begin his campaign in Melbourne comes as polling shows Victoria is set to play a bigger role in this federal election than the state has done in decades.

In a sign of the importance the Liberals are placing on the rally, Mr Dutton will be joined by Nationals leader David Littleproud and Deputy Liberal Sussan Ley, who will also speak to the gathering of the party faithful.

A major theme of Mr Dutton’s speech with be the contrast between Labor weakness and Liberal strength.

“This year, Australians will have an opportunity to remove a weak and incompetent Labor Government that has sent our country backwards,” he will say.

“This year, Australians will have an opportunity to elect a new and strong Coalition government to get our country back on track.”

A major theme of Mr Dutton’s speech with be the contrast between Labor weakness and Liberal strength. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

He will say “weak leaders create hard times – but strong leaders create better times”.

Other priorities for a Coalition government include delivering affordable and reliable energy and fixing the housing crisis. He will also promise to focus on “rebalancing” Australia’s migration program.

The emphasis on priorities comes after polls have shown voters think the Albanese government has it wrong.

“The path to better times and a better country starts with having the right priorities,” his speech says.

“With the right priorities, you create the right policies. And with the right policies, things go right for the Australian people. When a government gets its priorities wrong, things go wrong for the Australian people.”